- Daniel Ebenyo and Benson Kipruto are some of the stars who have been confirmed for the 2024 Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata road race.
- The male competitors will be seeking to run faster than the current world record of 11:11:08 that was set by Eliud Kipchoge in 2022.
- Ethiopia’s Sutume Kebede is one of the favorites to win the women’s title.
The attention of the athletics stakeholders is expected to turn to the much awaited 2024 Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata road race on Sunday, December 15.
The organizers of the race have assembled star runners from across the world including the defending champions Daniel Ebenyo and Sutume Kebede.
Ebenyo, who won last year’s edition in a course record time of 11:11:13, heads to India as one of the favorites to win the crown and break the current world record held by Eliud Kipchoge.
Kipchoge set the fastest mark of 11:11:08 during the 2022 Berlin Marathon, where he went on to set a marathon world record of 2:01:09 that was later lowered by the late Kelvin Kiptum.
Speaking after clinching the Athletics Kenya (AK) Bomet cross country meet title six days ago, Ebenyo stated that he is eager to leave a mark in the running world.
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“I am happy with my debut in the Chicago Marathon, but I still have unfinished business. Missing the Olympics was tough, and I truly believe that if I had competed, I would have brought home a medal.
If I return to track next season, we will coordinate better to make it happen. For now, I participated here as part of my buildup and to test whether I still have the speed,” he explained.
Star-studded men’s lineup
Other notable contenders who have been confirmed for the event include Ebenyo’s fellow countryman Benson Kipruto, Uganda’s Stephen Kissa and the Ethiopian duo of Diriba Girma and Hayamanot Alew.
Kipruto and Alew head to India with a lot of experience under their belts, having performed exemplary well in various road races this year.
Some of Kipruto’s key performances in 2024 includes winning the Tokyo Marathon title and clinching a bronze medal in the Paris Olympic Games.
On the other hand, Alew produced an eye-popping display to register a second-place finish in the recently held Berlin Marathon.
Ethiopians headline the women’s category
In the women’s category, Ethiopia’s Kebede will be seeking to improve the time of 1:18:47 she clocked during her triumph in 2023.
The 29-year-old, who won the Tokyo Marathon in March before finishing second in the Chicago Marathon in October, will face off with the likes of Degitu Azimeraw (Ethiopia), Alemaddis Eyayu (Ethiopia) and Desi Jisa (Bahrain).
Azimeraw and Eyayu are expected to give Kebede a run for her money since they have accumulated a lot of experience over the years.
The winners in each category will receive $15000 (approximately Ksh 1,938,750 as per the current exchange rate).
Meanwhile, the second and third place finishers are expected to pocket $10000 (approximately Ksh 1,292,500) and $7000 (respectively Ksh 904,750). The above prize money is subject to the tax procedure among other deductions.
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